WEST VIRGINIA CODE

CHAPTER 22. ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES.

ARTICLE 6A. NATURAL GAS HORIZONTAL WELL CONTROL ACT.

§22-6A-5. Application of article six of this chapter to horizontal wells subject to this article.

(a) To the extent that horizontal wells governed by this article are similar to conventional oil and gas wells regulated under article six of this chapter, the following sections of article six of this chapter are hereby incorporated by reference in this article:

(1) The provisions of section three, article six of this chapter relating to the findings and orders of inspectors concerning violations, the determination of reasonable time for abatement, extensions of time for abatement, special inspections and notice of findings and orders;

(2) The provisions of section four, article six of this chapter providing for the review of findings and orders by the secretary, special inspections and applications for annulment or revision of orders by the secretary;

(3) The provisions of section five, article six of this chapter relating to the requirements for findings, orders and notices, notice to the operator of findings and orders and judicial review of final orders of the secretary;

(4) The provisions of section seven, article six of this chapter relating to the issuance of water pollution control permits, the powers and duties of the secretary related thereto and penalties for violations of the same;

(5) The provisions of section eight, article six of this chapter relating to the prohibition of permits for wells on flat well royalty leases and requirements for permits;

(6) The provisions of section twelve, article six of this chapter pertaining to plats prerequisite to drilling or fracturing wells, the preparation and contents thereof, notice furnished to coal operators, owners or lessees, the issuance of permits and required performance bonds, with the following exceptions:

(A) Under subsection (a), section twelve, article six of this chapter, the plat also shall identify all surface tract boundaries within the scope of the plat proposed to be crossed by the horizontal lateral of the horizontal well and the proposed path of such horizontal lateral, and

(B) Under subsection (b), section twelve, article six of this chapter, any reference to a time period shall be thirty days in lieu of fifteen days;

(7) The provisions of section thirteen, article six of this chapter providing for notice of the operator's intention to fracture wells, with the exception that under the third paragraph of section thirteen, article six of this chapter, the applicable periods shall be thirty days in lieu of fifteen days;

(8) The provisions of section fifteen, article six of this chapter pertaining to objections to proposed deep well drilling sites above seam or seams of coal, with the exception that the applicable time for filing objections is within thirty days of receipt by the secretary of the required plat and/or notice in lieu of fifteen days;

(9) The provisions of section seventeen, article six of this chapter pertaining to drilling of shallow gas wells, notice to be provided to the chair of the review board, orders issued by the review board and permits issued for such drilling, with the exception that the applicable time for filing objections is thirty days from the date of receipt by the secretary of the required plat and notice in lieu of fifteen days;

(10) The provisions of section eighteen, article six of this chapter providing for protective devices for when a well penetrates one or more workable coal beds and when gas is found beneath or between workable coal beds;

(11) The provisions of section nineteen, article six of this chapter providing for protective devices during the life of the well and for dry or abandoned wells;

(12) The provisions of section twenty, article six of this chapter providing for protective devices when a well is drilled through the horizon of a coalbed from which the coal has been removed;

(13) The provisions of section twenty-one, article six of this chapter requiring the installation of fresh water casings;

(14) The provisions of section twenty-two, article six of this chapter relating to the filing of a well completion log and the contents thereof, confidentiality and permitted use and the secretary's authority to promulgate rules;

(15) The provisions of section twenty-seven, article six of this chapter regarding a cause of action for damages caused by an explosion;

(16) The provisions of section twenty-eight, article six of this chapter relating to supervision by the secretary over drilling and reclamation operations, the filing of complaints, hearings on the same and appeals;

(17) The provisions of section twenty-nine, article six of this chapter providing for the Operating Permit and Processing Fund, the oil and gas reclamation fund and associated fees, with the exception that in the first paragraph of subsection (a), section twenty-nine, article six of this chapter, the fees to be credited to the Oil and Gas Operating Permit and Processing Fund are the permit fees collected pursuant to section seven of this article;

(18) The provisions of section thirty-one, article six of this chapter providing for preventing waste of gas, plans of operation for wasting gas in the process of producing oil and the secretary's rejection thereof;

(19) The provisions of section thirty-two, article six of this chapter pertaining to the right of an adjacent owner or operator to prevent waste of gas and the recovery of costs;

(20) The provisions of section thirty-three, article six of this chapter relating to circuit court actions to restrain waste;

(21) The provisions of section thirty-six, article six of this chapter providing for the declaration of oil and gas notice by owners and lessees of coal seams and setting out the form of such notice;

(22) The provisions of section thirty-nine, article six of this chapter relating to petitions for injunctive relief; and

(23) The provisions of section forty, article six of this chapter relating to appeals from orders issuing or refusing to issue a permit to drill or fracture, and the procedure therefore.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this code to the contrary, no provision of article six of this chapter shall apply to horizontal wells subject to this article except as expressly incorporated by reference in this article. Any conflict between the provisions of article six and the provisions of this article shall be resolved in favor of this article.

Note: WV Code updated with legislation passed through the 2017 Regular Session
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